By Don Groves – INSIDEFILM [Mon 06/01/2014 10:57:27]
An analysis of the Australian films released in cinemas in 2013 makes for grim reading, with a handful of critical and/or commercial successes outnumbered by misfires and under-achievers. On the positive side, the debut films from directors Kim Mordaunt (The Rocket), Catriona McKenzie (Satellite Boy) and Mark Grentell (Backyard Ashes) unearthed talent with plenty of potential.
The year ended on a strong note with the Boxing Day launch of Jonathan Teplitzy’s The Railway Man, which ranks as the second-highest local grosser behind Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby, which amassed $28.2 million to become the fifth-biggest Australian title of all time. Tellingly, the drama starring Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman raked in more money in its first week than the lifetime earnings of every other title. According to IF’s estimate, the combined B.O. tally of the 26 local films and documentaries is $38.88 million, well short of 2012’s $47.9 million.
Final B.O. figures for 2013 won’t be available until later in January but several distributors are estimating the year will finish 2% down on 2012’s $1.125 billion. So assuming the total is around $1.122 billion, Australian films’ market share would be around 3.4%, below 2012’s 4.3% and the 10-year average of 3.8%. IF’s chart is current through January 1. As we have has pointed out, Australian grosses should not be seen as the sole barometer of each film’s success, given many have multiple viewings on VOD, pay-TV and free-to-air TV.
I am confident we’ll see a marked upturn in the quality and commercial appeal of the films scheduled for release this year.
Given the writing, directing and on-screen talent involved, I am optimistic about a line-up that includes John Curran’s Tracks, Greg Mclean’s Wolf Creek 2, Matt Saville’s Felony, Julius Avery’s Son of a Gun, David Michôd’s The Rover, Kriv Stenders’ Kill Me Three Times, Rob Connolly’s Paper Planes, Tony Ayres’ Cut Snake, Zak Hilditch’s These Final Hours, Stuart Beattie’s I, Frankenstein, Wayne Hope’s Now Add Honey and Peter and Michael Spierig’s Predestination.
In addition, there could be some out-of-the-box successes from among John V. Soto’s The Reckoning, Shane Abbess’ Infini, David Parker’s The Menkoff Method, Matt Zeremes and Guy Edmonds’ Super Awesome!, Josh Lawson’s The Little Death, Stephen Lance’s My Mistress, Kasimir Burgess’ Fell, Sarah Spillane’s Around the Block and Craig Monahan’s Healing.
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Australian Films Scorecard 2013
Title Release Date Total
1 The Great Gatsby May 30 $28,277,208
2 The Railway Man December 26 2,052,827
3 Goddess March 14 1,636,117
4 Tim Winton’s The Turning September 26 1,245,120
5 Return to Nim’s Island April 4 1,220,248
6 Drift May 2 931,419
7 Satellite Boy June 20 510,034
8 The Rocket August 29 477,891
9 Red Obsession August 15 438,914
10 Mystery Road October 17 409,979
11 Save Your Legs! February 28 385,680
12 Backyard Ashes November 6 251,920
13 Adoration November 21 203,089
14 Lygon Street Si Parla ItalianoNovember 14 161,456
15 Mary Meets Mohammad* May 2 150,291
16 In Bob We Trust October 17 138,223
17 Blinder March 7 101,027
18 Uncharted Waters November 15 89,859
19 Circle of Lies* August 22 50,000
20 Absolute* Deception August 29 30,000
21 Lasseter’s Bones October 31 30,000
22 The 25thReich* June 21 28,200
23 100 Bloody Acres August 1 18,356
24 The Darkside November 28 18,290
25 Patrick October 17 14,260
26 Fallout October 31 14,255
Source: Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia
Figures through January 1, 2014
*Producer’s figure